CONJUNCTION, JUNCTION, WHATS YOUR FUNCTION?

Conjunction, Junction, Whats Your Function?

Monica L. Monarez

California State University Dominguez Hills

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Conjunction, Junction, Whats Your Function?

Music is the vocal or instrumental sound that humans have been experiencing since they

were categorized as cave dwellers. Although music is a prominent part of our society, it is

taught less and less in the classroom. Music should be included in the elementary school

curriculum because it helps create a visual display of sight words through the use of different

songs, students memorize complex concepts in many different subjects which they can remember

for years, and students engage in the classroom and with their classmates.

Creating a visual display of words is essential for the beginning reader. For example,

when students begin elementary school they start looking at picture books. As they progress, they

are expected to read novels. Since there are fewer illustrations in the texts of novels, the student

must create a visual display of the words they are reading in order to comprehend what the texts

is trying to saying. By incorporating music in the classroom through singing, it gives students the

opportunity to practice or improve their reading skills through the use of these sight words.

According to Iwasaki, Rasinski, Yildririm, and Zimmerman (2013), sight words are essentially

memorized words- by sight and sound and the memorability of the words in songs offers good

opportunities for developing young students sight vocabulary. Creating a large collection of

sight words through the use of song, is beneficial to the student starting from elementary school

and carries on to the collegiate level.

Music in the classroom helps students memorize concepts which they can

remember for many years. An article printed from the John Hopkins School of Education

stated,Music will activate students mentally, physically, and emotionally and create learning

states which enhance understanding of learning material (Brewer, 1993). Memorizing the

material becomes easier by allowing the student to make multiple connections. Repetition of a
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song will enable the student to improve their understanding and think about the concept actively

as they are engaging in the music. The rhythmic nature of the words in a song also makes the

song easy to repeat and learn. The information in the words can help students not only recall

material for tests or quizzes, but recall the knowledge for their lifetime.

Music makes learning fun and gets students excited. It is versatile in the sense that it can

be played, sung, listened to, and enjoyed by everyone allowing for the lesson plan to be diverse.

Music can be a unique way to get students to engage in the classroom and gives each student a

sense of comradery. Singing a song cannot only build individual self-confidence, but can help the

student that doesnt want to be in the spotlight feel a part of a team. Music can be a part of every

students life in the classroom.

Music can be the answer to many different problems that can arise in the elementary

school classroom. Music can help students with creating visual sight words that will help

improve their reading. It can help them create lasting memories of the many different concepts

they will need to know beyond kindergarten through fifth grade. Music has also been known to

get students excited to learn and eager to engage with their classmates. Whether it is for learning

grammer, memorizing the fifty states, or a fun sing-a-long before recess, music should be

incorporated in the elementary cirriculum.

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References

Brewer, C. B. (1995). Music and Learning: Integrating Music in the Classroom. Retrieved from

http://education.jhu.edu/PD/newhorizons/strategies/topics/Arts%20in

%20Education/brewer.htm

IwasakI, B., Rasinski, T., Yildririm, K., & Zimmerman, B. (2013, October). Let's Bring Back

the Magic of Song for Teaching Reading. The Reading Teacher, 67(2), 137-141.